Improvement in straw-cutters



J. T. WATSON & J. B. MERWIN.

l sTRA'W-cu'r'rnn.

No.180,445. Patented Aug.1,1876.

lime/dal.

lvrrnn STATES PATENT @Frida JAMES T. WATSON AND J AMES MERWIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

iMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,445, dated August 1, 1876; application filed July 14, 1876.

To all lwhom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES T. WATSON and JAMES B. MERWIN, both of St. Louis city and county, and State of Missouri, have invented a certain Improvement in Straw: Gutters, of which the following is a specifica tion:

This invention was designed more especially for the purpose of improving the straw-cutter described in 4United States Letters Patent No. 80,524, granted to James T. Watson and Henry E. Robinson, on the 28th day of July, A. D. 1868. It consists, first, in mounting the feed-box on a pivot, so that it may be swung around to stand in line with, and lock, the knife, when not in use; secondly, in so disposing the spring which acts on the arm or link of the knife that it will antagonize endwise movement ofthe knife on the downstroke, instead of aiding such mot-ion, as is the case in the cutter described in the aforesaid patent.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of our improved straw-cutter, as it appears when ready for use, the dotted lilies indicating the position of the feedbox when the machine is at rest and stored away. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views, hereinafter more specifically alluded to.

The same letters of reference are used in I all the figures in the. `designation of identical parts.

The bench A, feed-box B, knife O, link D, and stop E are in construction substantially the same as the corresponding elements of the cutter described in the aforesaid patent, and therefore require no detailed description. The

' feed-box is, however, pivoted to the bench by injury to children resulting from the careless use of the knife. By reason of the swiveling feature of the feed-box the machine can also be folded into a smaller compass for transportation and storage.

When the feedbox is swung around at right angles to the knife it brings up against a permanent stop, a, (shown in Fig. 2,) and is A locked by a pin, a', inserted in a hole in the which is obtained by pushing the knife end. -wise to some extent on the downstroke.

- In the patented cutter referred to the spring was so disposed that, being connected to the link of the knife, it was expanded on the upstroke of the knife, and its resilience aided in moving the knife endwise on the downstroke.

In practice, this arrangement was found to be defective. It proved not only fatiguing to the operator, but it was also difficult to control the action of the knife. From an inspection ofthe machine it will be evident that there is a natural tendency to move the knife endwise on the downstroke. In order to better control this we antagonize the spring G by arranging it as shown and stated. The operator can now with ease govern the endwise motion of the knife, and, moreover, gets the aid of the resilience of the spring in lifting the knife. The spring may `be fastened to the link, if preferred, provided, however, it is so arranged as to antagonize the endwise -movement of the knife on the downstroke.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. .In a straw-cutter, substantially such as described, the pivoted feed-box, adapted to assume a position at right angles to the knife,

or zi position parallel therewith, for the purnames to this specification in the presence of pose specified. two subscribing Witnesses.

2. The Combination, substantially as specied, of the knife, swinging upon a single piV- JAMES T. WATSON. ot, the link, and the spring which alltag@ JAMES B. MERWLN. nizes the endwise movement of the knife on Witnesses: the downstroke. D. P. HOLLOWAY,

In testimony whereof we have signed our W. E. CHAFFEE. 

